Gang-operated disconnecting switch



June 18, 1929. H. w. MORREALL GANG OPERATED DISCONNECTNG SWITCH Filed0G12. 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet June 18, 1929. v H. w. MORREALL y1,717,729

GANG OPERATED DISCONNECTING SWITCH (gw/pente@ H orfealfl Patented .lune18, 1929.

UNITED STATES HERBERT VJ. MORREALL, OF PINE GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA.

GANG-OPERATED DISCONNECTING SWITCH.

Application filed October 20, 1925. Serial No. 63,758.

This invention relates to an improved gang operated disconnecting switchand seeks, among other objects, to provid-e a switch of this characterhaving superior' mechanical strength, and wherein the current conductingparts of the switch will be effectually insulated.

The invention seeks, as a further object, to provide a switch embodyinga novel operating shaft incorporating a number of insulating units, andwherein the length of the shaft may, within reasonable limits, beincreased to accommodate additional switch blades without mechanicallyweakening the shaft.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a novel mounting for`the switch blades whereby the blades may be angularly ad# justed withrespect to the operating shaft, and wherein improved stationarytern'linals will be provided to coact with the switch blades.

@ther objects of the invention not previously specifically mentionedwill appear in the course of the following description.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my improved switch,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing theconstruction of the operating shaft of the switch as well as themounting of the switch blades,

Figure 4l is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 3 lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Figure 1, lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 7 7 of Figure 7, looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows, and showing the fixed terminalsemployed to cooperate with the switch blades,

Figure 7 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 11, and

Figure 8 is an end elevation showing a slightly modified form of switch.

ln carrying the invention into effect, I employ a supporting structureincluding spaced upright-s 10, and extending between the upper ends ofsaid uprights are spaced cross beams 11. Mounted on said cross beams arespaced insulating posts, each of which is formed of sections 12, 18 andlet respectively. These sections are fianged at their confronting endsand are bolted together, while the section 12 of each of the posts issimilarly secured to a bottom plate 15 spanning the beams 11. Securingthe plate 15 to the beams are bolts or other fastening devices 16extending between the beams and engaged at their lower ends withanchoring plates 17 overlying the lower edges of the beams.

The sections 12 and 13 of the posts are of insulating material andprovide insulating units electrically isolating the sections 14 whichare of metal and are provided with bearings 18. Rising from the endportions of the beams 11 in alignment with the insulating posts are endposts 19 of metal. These posts are provided with base flanges 2()resting on the beams, and extending through said flanges are securingbolts 21 engaged with anchoring plates 22. Bolted to the longer lowersections of the posts are short upper sections 23, which are providedwith bearings 24, and journaled through the bearings 18 and 24 of all ofthe posts is an operating shaft. i

The operating shaft is composed of end sections 25, intermediatesections 26 and insulator sections 27 forming insulating unitsinterposed between the other sections. Removably keyed on the ends ofthe sections 26, as shown in Figure 3, are collars 28 also preferablyse` cured by set screws 29. These collars mate with flanges 30 on theadjacent insulator sections 27, and extending through the collars andsaid flanges are bolts 31 rigidly .but detachably securing the partstogether. The sections 27 are secured together and to the .sections 25of the shaft .by similar mating flanges 32 and bolts 33. Thus, as willbe seen, the shaft may be made any reasonable length desired byinserting additional sections while, since only a torsional strain willbe imposed 'on ths insulator sections, the operating shaft will not, bybeing thus lengthened, be appreciably weakened. The sections 25 and 26,are of metal to cooperate with the bearings 18 and 24 and, as will beperceived, the sections 27 are arranged to effectively insulate thesections 25 and 26 with respect to each other.

Fitting at their inner ends over the bearings 18 ofthe insulating postsare inverted channel shaped switch blades 3&1 having side flangesapertured to accommodate the shaft sections 26. In the present instanceIhave shown the use of three insulating posts on the cross beams 11 andthree switch blades, but of course, the number' of insulating posts andswitch blades employed maybe varied to meet the requirements of anyparticular installation. Fitting the shaft sections 26 to overlie theside flanges ofthe switch blades are pairs of collars 3S secured to saidshaft sections by set screws 37 and provided, as shown in Figure 4, withelongated inner end 'flanges 38. Formed in said flanges near the endsthereof, are arcuate slots 39, and extending through the side flanges 35of the switch blades freely through said slots, as shown in Figure 5,are bolts 40. Thus, the switch blades may be swingingly adjusted withrespect to the shaft, when the nuts of thebolts 40 may be tightened forclamping the blades in adjusted position and rigidly connecting theblades with the shaft.

Arranged forwardly of the uprights 1G, as shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings, are spaced uprights 41, like the former uprights,andextendingbetween the upper ends of the uprights 41 are spaced crossbeams 42. Mountedon said cross beams are insulating posts each of whichis formed of sections 43, 44 and 45 respectively. The sections 43 areformed ofmetal and are secured to the cross beams by bolts 44 in amanner similar to the mounting of the posts 19.A At their confrontingends, all of the sections are provided with mating anges 47 detachablybolted together,

and formed on the upper ends of the sectionsl 45 of all of the posts aresimilar flanges 48; The sections 45 carry the fixed terminals employedto Cooperate lwith the switch blades. Each ofthese terminals includes abase plate 49 which, as shown in Figures 6 and, 7, is bolted to theflanges 48 ofone ofsaid insulator sections, and rising from said baseplate are spaced arms 50 at right angles to which are spaced upstandingstop. members 51. Supported by the arms 50 is a pair of companion shoes52 provided near their lower ends with mating ears 53 projecting betweenthe arms to receive a pivotbolt 54 extending through said ears and thearms vfor swingingly mounting the shoes. The shoes are arranged inopposed relation and at their inner sides carry lugs 55 over which isengaged a spring 5G pressing the shoes apart to normally seat at theirlower ends against the stop member 51. Thus, the stop members limit theshoes intheir spreadingmovement, so that when the switch blades 34 aresw ing down, the side flanges 35 of said blades will ride over the shoesof the several pairs to wipe said shoes andswing the shoes of each pairtowards each other. Accordingly, the spring 55 will be tensioned totightly press the shoes againstfth-e side flanges of the blades so thatetiicient electrical Contact will be had between the shoes and theblades when the switchis closed."

Gonnectedto one ofthe end sections 25 of the operatingshaft is a`forwardly extending lever 57, and connectedto the otherof the endsections 25 of said shaft is a similar rearwardly directed lever 53.These levers are of inverted channel shape like the switch blades andareconnected with said shaft sections by collars 59 identical with thecollars 36, the

levers fitting over the bearings 24 of the post sections 23- Thus, thelevers may be angularly adjusted with respect to the operating'shaft.

In Figure 8, I have illustrated a slight modification. Uprights areindicated at 131 and projecting laterally from said uprights areinsulating posts 132and 133. The posts 132 support an operating shaft134 having switch blades 135 to cooperate with fixed terminals on theposts 133. All of this structure is identical with the previousstructure as first described but is mounted in a different position withrespect to the uprights. Extending between the outer ends of the posts132 and the uprights are insulating brace members 136 for the posts.These brace members are preferably composed of a plurality of suitableinsulators detachablj7 connected with each other, the brace membersbeing anchored attheir upper ends by brackets 137 and at their lowerends by rods 138 engaged with suitable ears 139 near the outer ends ofthe posts 132. Qtherwise, the modified structure is identical with theprior embodiment of the invention and further description is accordinglybelieved unnecessary.

In connection with the operating shaft' of my improved switch, it isdesirable to point out that said shaft has rotative movement only andthe entire mass being-close to the axis of rotation, the inertia instarting movement and the momentum to overcome in retarding are verysmall. Therefore, it'fellows that the stresses set up in starting andstopping are small. These features malte possible very high speedoperation which is very desirable. Furthermore, it is to be notedi' thatwhile I have shown insulating units of the bell type still, othersuitable insulating units of greater mechanical strength may besubstituted therefor, if found. desirable.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: Y

1. In an electric switch the combination of a pivoted supporting member,a switch blade thereon, a coupler adjustably mounted upon the pivotedsupporting` member, and means adjustably connecting the switch blade tothe said coupler.

2. In anelectric switch the combination of a pivoted supportingmember, aswitch blade thereon, flanged collars at the sides of the switch bladeand having the latter adjustablv connected to the anges of the collars,and means adjustably connecting the collars to the pivoted supportingmember.

3. In an electric switch the combination with a bearing and a shafttherein, of a switch blade on the shaft and engaging aside of the liebearing, and a coupler secured to the shaft and switch blade.

el. In an electric switch the combination with a bearing and a shafttherein, of a switch blade on the shaft having portions engagingopposite sides of the bearing, of flanged collars secured to the shaftand switch blade at opposite sides of the bearing and acting to preventendwise movement of the shaft.

5. An electric switch comprising a bearing, a switch bladehavingportions embracing the bearing, a shaft passing through the saidbearing and the portions of the switch blade embracing the bearing,flanged collars on the shaft adjacent the embracing portions of theswitch blade, and means adjustably connecting the said collars to theshaft and switch blade.

6. A gang operated switch comprising metal bearings. a shaft includingalternate metal and insulator sections, the metal sec tions beingmounted lin the said bearings, switch blades on the metal sections ofthe shaft and having portions embracing the bearings and receiving theshaft, and iianged collars adjacent the portions of the switch bladesembaeing the bearings and adjustably connected to said embracingportionsvand the metal sections of the shaft.

7. In an electric switch the combination of spaced Contact elements, asupport therebetween and having the Contact elements independentlypivoted thereto, a spring normally pressing the contact elements apart,and stops at the sides ofthe said support separate from the support andfree from the Contact elements and disposed for engagement by thecontact element to limit the outward movement of the said contactelements.

8. In a gang operated disconnecting switch, a base plate havingupstanding arms and provided in angular relation to the arms withupstanding stop members, coacting contact shoes having ears accommodatedbetween said arms, means extending through the ears and said armspivotally mounting the shoes, a spring interposed between the shoes andpressing the shoes apart to normally engage said stop members, and aswitch blade movable to engage over said shoes and shift the shoestoward each other to coact with the blade.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

HERBERT WV. MORREALL.

